Pin-setter for bowling-alleys.



PAENTED 'MAY 22, 1906.`

J. C. BACKUS. PIN SETTER FOR BOWLNGALLEYS.

APPLIOATIGN FILED JULY24,1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

.4, f x wwf/@mma 110. 821,276. PATENTBD MAY 22, 1906.

yJ. C. BAGKUS. 11N SETTBR P011 BOWLING 11.151113.

APPLIGATION FILED JU LY24,1905.'

` 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PAmnrrv OFFICE.-

l'I'INITED sTATEs Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 22, 1906.l

" Application filed Jn1y'24, 1905. Serial No. 271,125.

To all whom it may concern):

Be it known that I, JOHN CLAYTON BAoKUs, la citizen of the United States, residing at Smethport, in the county of McKean and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certainy new and useful Improvements in Pin-Setters for Bowling-Alleys, of which the following is a s ecification.

y present invention relates to positioning devices for pin-Setters, and has special reference to the s eciiic means for centering the pin accurate y upon the appropriate place or spot it should occupy in relation to the other ins in the set upon the bed of' a bowling-al ey. I

-The means herein set forth are applicable 'to a number of the devices heretofore designed and patented for the purpose of positioning pins upon the bed of a bowling-alley and were partlally described and illustrated in my `application for United States Letters Patent for apparatus for setting pins of bowling-alleys, filed' October 16, 1903, which said description and illustration were subsequently made public in Letters Patent numbered 771,963, issued to me upon said application on the 11th day of October, 1904.

One-,of the principal features in my means for centering the pins is the employment of the geometrlcal prlnciple of determining that center bythe determination of three points about that center. The result of the employment of that principle is the use of the \fewest possible number of centering devices. My construction also is greatly slm liied, the centering member being merely inged to the frame of the pin-setting machine, requiring no other independent parts to direct or actuate its motion.

To attain the advantages of this principle in a simple and practical manner, my invention consists of a new and novel form and .arrangement of parts, as willpresently appear.

Figure 1 is a plan view showing the arrangement of my centering devices about the pin-receptacle of a pin-setting machine. ig. 2 is a view showing a form of attachment of one of my centering members with Fig. 3 shows how pers ective view of the means of attachment to t e pin-setting machine.

A, A, and A are the three centering members utilized inmy invention, which are grouped about the pin-receptacle of a pinsetting machine so as. to operate radially toward the desired center for the pin at an- @les of substantially one hundred and twenty degrees with each other. The centering members A consist of the piece a, which contactswith the pin, the supporting-armsb, which are attached to the plece a and are provided upon their projecting ends with the notches c, and the piece d, which lis screwed to the pin-setting machine and is provided with notches e, and the downwardly-projecting plate f, carrying the lugs g. .The notches c of thev arms b are assembled with the notches e of the piece d, and the lugs of the plate limit the downward swingof tlie arms T e piece a has a vertically-circular -motion, which may be analyzed into its vertical and lateral components. The lateral component has a direction radial to the center of the pin, and it is this motion which is utilized in centering the pin. The vertical component is of no value in centering the pin; ut it is this component which is utilized in operating the centering member, as it is only necessary to impart to the centering member a relatively small vertical motion, of which there is always a great supply in machines of this order, in order to secure the lateral motion necessary. This vertical motion may be secured in two ways. The iirst way, which I regard as referable, is to attach a s ring h between t e centering member and t e pin-setting machine, which will maintain the positioning member at its highest eleva!" tion in relation to the frame of the pin-setting machine with a gentle pressure. While the centering members are in this position the pin-setting machine is brought in contact with the bed ofthe bowling-alley, the centering members coming not quite but nearly 'in contact with the bed ofthe alley. It will be perceived that in this manner all the wear IOO and tear incident from the impinging of the centering members upon the alley-bed will be obviated, while at the same time the broad flat bases of the centering members bein parallel to and nearly in contact with the ed of the alley are locked against displacement when the pins are thrown between them. When the pinsetting machine is elevatedI from the j'alley-bed, the weight of the pins is uite sufficient to distend the cen tering mem ers against the pullbfthe spring h, leaving the 'pins in the position where the have beenlocatedl y he second manner' of'operating my centering members is to permit them to hang freely,` their downward swing beingy only limited by the lugs g. With this arrangement the necessary vertical impulse is given to them when .the iii-setting machine settles upon the alleyed.l Whenthe pin-set# ting machine is elevated, vthe weight of the centering members, as well asthe weight of the pin, distends them, leaving the pins in position.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection-with the drawings, it is evident that I providecentering devices to be used in connection with in-setting machines for bowling-alleys'whicii are extremely simple in constructlon and effective in operation.

What I claim as new, and deslre to secure by Letters Patent, is- 1. In combination With a pin-setter frame having pin-openings, pin-guides disposed radially about said pin-opemngs and hmged to said frame at thelr upper ends, lugs limiting the swing of said guides about their hinges, said guides being of ysuch length as to be operated by directly contacting the bed of the bowlingalley to comeinto a fixed position between 'said inesetter frame and said bowling'jalley bed w.v en ,same are brought adjacent to each other. f

v 2. In combination with a pin-setter frame having pin-openings, the bed of `a bowlingalley, three pin-guides disposed radially at angles of substantially one hundred and twenty degrees about each of said pin-openings and hinged to said frame at their upper ends, the lower unattached l ends of said uides directly contacting the alley-bed and eing operated thereby to slide. thereon into a fixed position between said frame and said alley-bed .when the frame is brought adjacent to the alley-bed.

3. @entering devices to be used in connect1on with plu-setting machines for bowlingalleys conslsting of three centerin inembers' for each pin, Veach of said mem ers being hinged to the length to directly contact with'the alley-bed when 1n operation and in final operative position.

In testimony whereof I aHiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN CLAYTON BACKUS.

pin-setting machine and of a 

